Rise Above Hosts SportsFest Uplifting Native Youth

Last weekend, Rise Above hosted their annual Sportsfest at the Redhawk Center on the Seattle U campus, which aims to uplift and celebrate native youth in sports. The event featured local and national celebrities and athletes, including former Sonic Vin Baker, who made his return to Seattle for the first time following his five-year stint with the team to give the keynote speech and inspire the youth.

Special guests in attendance included NBA Hall of Famers Lenny Wilkens and George Karl; Seattle Mariners broadcaster Bill Krueger; Olympic gold medalist Carla McGhee; former NBA players Craig Ehlo, Dale Ellis, Spencer Hawes and Detlef Schrempf; former Seattle University basketball coach Joy Hollingsworth; and Rise Above Ambassador Freddy Brown III. Actor Danny Glover and former NBA player Craig Ehlo were also present at events throughout the weekend, as were the hosts of the Iconic Sonics podcast.

“I could not be more thankful to have these incredible partners come together in support of empowering Native youth,” said Rise Above Founder Jaci McCormack.

For Rise Above, events like this are critical to their mission of supporting Native American communities, as those same communities have some of the highest rates of unemployment, poverty, substance abuse and mental illness in the country. McCormack believes that through exercise and positive leadership and role models youth thrive, and she aims to provide those opportunities. 

You can find out more about Rise Above at their website and on their page.

Photos by Seattle photographer Jordan Somers on behalf of Converge Media